1^ 



MEMOIR 



OF 



Col ALEXANDER BIDDLE 



BY 



HENRY CAREY BAIRD. 




Glass Elqi 

Book , B s 8 



MEMOIR 



Col Alexander Biddle. 

By henry CAREY BAIRD. 

{Read befere the American Philosophical Society, October zo, iSgg.) 

In compliance with the resolution of the Society, adopted 
May 19, 1899, and with the appointment of the President, I 
have the honor to submit the following memorial of the late 
Col. Alexander Biddle : 

In vain may we search the annals of the United States, 
from the Colonial period to the present hour, to find a mili- 
tary and naval family record showing such constant, such 
persistent devotion and gallantry as that of Biddle ; and that 
the record will justify this assertion there is not the shadow 
of a doubt. 

In the War with France, 1755-1763, the family is repre- 
sented by Capt, Edward Biddle, and in the Eevolution by his 
brothers. Commodore Nicholas Biddle, of the U, S. S. " Ran- 
dolph," and Charles Biddle, and their cousin, Col. Clement 
Biddle ; in the war with Tripoli, and those Avith England, 
1812, and Mexico, 1816-184:8, by Commodore James Biddle, 
and still again in the war of 1812 by Commodore Biddie's 
brothers, Majors Thomas Biddle and John Biddle, as well as 
by Col. Clement C. Biddle, their cousin ; in the Florida and 
Mexican Wars, by Lieut. James S. Biddle, U. S. N., and in 
the latter war by Major Charles J. Biddle, who was also 
colonel of the " Bucktail " Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves, 
in the War of the Rebellion, and in this last-named war by 
the present Brigadier Gen. James Biddle, U". S. A., by Col. 
Chapman Biddle, Col. Alexander Biddle, Major Ilenrv J. 

REPRINTED FROM AMRR. PHTLOS. SOC. MEMORIAL VOTa'MK. 



L^ (oo i 



Biddle, Hon. Craig Biddle, A.D.C., Col. James C. Biddle, and 
his brother, Caldwell K. Biddle ; in the war with Nez Perces, 
1877, l3y Lieut. Jonathan W. Biddle, 7th Cavalry, U. S. A., 
and in the war with Spain by Maj. William Phillips Biddle, 
U. S. Marine Corps, Admiral Dewey's Chief of Staff, at 
Manila, and his brother, Dr. Clement Biddle, Surgeon U. S. N., 
of U. S. S. " Texas ; " Alexander Mercer Biddle, First Troop, 
Philadelphia City Cavalry, and Col. John Biddle Porter, 
grandson of Major John Biddle, U. S. Army of the War of 
1812. 

George Cadwalader, a grandson of Col. Clement Biddle, of 
the Kevolution, was a brigadier general U. S. army, March 
3, 1847, and commanded a brigade in Gen. Scott's army in 
the War with Mexico. He was distinguished in the battle 
of El Molino del Bey, and received the brevet of major-gen- 
eral " for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of 
Chapultepec," September 13, 1847. He served in the war of 
1861-1865, as major-general of volunteers. Lieut.-Col. 
Charles E. Cadwalader, captain 6th Peuusjdvania Cavalry, 
and aide-de-camp to Gen. Meade, war of 1861-1865, is a 
great-grandson of Col. Clement Biddle. 

On the breaking out of the Eevolution, this family spirit 
proved too strong for the Quakerism of Owen Biddle (born, 
1738 ; died, 1799), a brother of Col. Clement Biddle, and 
great-imcle of Alexander Biddle. For a season parting com- 
pany with his non -resisting principles, he was a delegate to 
the Provincial Conference, January 23, 1775 ; member of the 
Committee of Safety, June, 1775, to July, 1776, and of the 
Council of Safety, July, 1776, to March, 1777 ; member of 
the Board of War, March, 1777 ; of the Constitutional Con- 
vention, July, 1776 ; and June, 1777, Deputy Commissary of 
Forage. With Robert Morris, he became personally bound 
for various sums of over two hundred and sixty thousand 
pounds sterling for provisions for the army. During the 
occupancy of Philadelphia by the British, the enemy 
destroyed his residence, " Peel Hall," on the present site of 
Girard College grounds. 



When, however, the pressure of danger was removed, and 
independence was achieved, " the convictions of conscience 
wrought upon him, and he addressed his monthly meeting," 
humbly acknowledging the error of his ways, and asking to 
be restored to membership, his " sincere and fervent desire," 
and Quakerism, his beautiful faith and practice, once more 
became the ruling spirit of his life. Speaking at Westtown 
in June last, Isaac Sharpless, president of Haverford College, 
said : " If you would find among the various deliverances of 
the day the highest expression of the purposes and spirit of 
the school (Westtown) by which to honor the past and guide 
the future, you will find it incarnate in Owen Biddle." 

Of the foregoing, three. Commodore Nicholas Biddle and 
Major Henry J,, and his son, Lieut, Jonathan Wilhams Bid- 
dle, were either killed or mortally wounded in battle. The 
first-named died under circumstances of sublime heroism. 
In 1778, in command of the U. S. frigate " Eandolph," 32, 
in order to enable his consort, the " General Moultrie," to 
escape, he engaged the British ship " Yarmouth," 6-i. 
Wounded early in the action, a chair was brought on deck, 
and therein seated, while his wound was being dressed, he 
fought his ship until she blew up, not, however, before he 
had inflicted severe damage on his antagonist. 

Of this blood and lineage was Alexander Biddle, Small 
wonder, then, that when his country called her sons to arms, 
that he should respond and serve her well. He was born in 
Philadelphia, April 29, 1819, and died at Chestnut Hill, 
May 2, 1899. He was one of the sons of Thomas Biddle, 
the eminent banker, and grandson of Col. Clement Biddle, 
deputy quartermaster- general in the Army of the Revolution, 
who took part in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandy- 
wine, Germantown and Monmouth, and was commissary- 
general at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778, 
On his mother's side, Alexander Biddle was a grandson of 
Gen. Jonathan Williams, colonel of engineers, U, S. army, a 
kinsman of Dr. Franklin. Alexander Biddle was sixth in 
descent from William Biddle, who came from London to 



America, in 1681 ; was one of tlic proprietors of West 
Jersey, owning nearly 43,000 acres of land, a magistrate and 
one of the members of its Council. In 1703 he was one of 
the representatives of the Western Division of New Jersey 
in the Assembly. He died at his seat, " Mount Hope," on 
the Delaware, above Burlington, 1712. Through his ancestor, 
Owen Owen (born at Merion, Philadelphia, Pa., now Mont- 
gomery county, 21st of twelfth month, 1690 ; died Philadel- 
phia, 5th of eighth month, 1741), Alexander Biddle could 
trace his descent from Trahairn Goch ap Madoc of Llyn in 
Caernarvonshire, Wales, who died about eighteenth year of 
reign of Edward II (1325), and who was himself descended 
from the princes of South Wales.* 

One of the first schools to which Alexander Biddle went 
was that of Sears C. Walker, in Sansom street, below Eighth, 
about 1830-1832, when he was between eleven and thirteen 
years of age, and among his school-fellows was Mr. Ellis 
Yarnall. Walker was a man of fine abilities, full of knowl- 
edge, and Mr. Yarnall states that he delighted in imparting 
to the boys, in a conversational way, much interesting and 
useful knowledge, not immediately in the line of their regular 
studies ; thus adding a charm to their school lives, an 
experience seldom met with by any boy in this dull and 
painful period of his existence. Dr. Gross, who knew him 
intimately, in his Anlohiography^ speaks of him as " one of 
the brightest intellects of the age, an ardent devotee of 
science, and a great mathematician and astronomer." 
Walker was elected a member of this Society, October 20. 
1837, and contributed to its Transactions and Proceeding^ a 
number of learned papers, principally upon astronomical 
subjects. He died January 30, 1853. The influence of such 
a teacher on a clever boy must remain for good throughout 
that boy's life. 

The subject of this memoir was graduated at the Univer- 
sity of Pennsylvania in 1838, shortly after which he entered 
the counting-house of Bevan k Humphreys, where he 

* Glenn, Merion in the Welsh Tract, pp. 112-150. 



remained until 1842. In the last-named year he went as 
super-cargo to Manila, Sydney and China, returning, after 
eighteen months' absence, in 1844. In 1848 he became a 
member of the banking firm of Thomas Biddle & Co., where 
he remained until after his return from the war in 1864. 

In the War of the Eebellion, Alexander Biddle entered the 
service September 1, 1862, as major of the 121st Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry, the colonel of the regiment being 
his cousin. Chapman Biddle. This regiment, raised princi- 
pally in Philadelphia and Venango counties, was organized 
imder Major Biddle, in camp near Chestnut Hill, Philadel- 
phia, ordered to Washington, September 5, and went into 
camp at Camp Chase, Arlington, on the following day. It 
was systematically drilled, but not immediately armed. On 
October 1 it moved to Frederick, Md., and a week later 
joined the 3d Division, First Army Corps, under command 
of Gen. Meade, near Sharps burg, 'Md. 

On December 13 it took part in that brilliant, well-deliv- 
ered and well-sustained attack of Gen. Meade, from the left 
of the Union lines, in the battle of Fredericksburg, which 
only needed proper support by those higher in command to 
have turned that disastrous defeat into a decisive victory. 
After the war Gen. Lee conceded to Gen. Meade that if the 
latter had held his position, and that at one time he be- 
lieved he would have done so, the former would have 
retreated. Of the part taken by the 121st Eegiment in this 
battle. Col. Alexander Biddle, in his Narrative, says: " Its 
first general action was at Fredericksburg, where, in the 
assault of Meade's Division upon the enemy's lines, it lost 
one-fifth of its force, and was congratulated for its behavior 
both by Meade and Reynolds. ' ' The late Walter L. C. Biddle, 
son of Col. Chapman Biddle, in his address at the dedication 
of the monument to the 121st on the battlefield of Gettys- 
burg, said : 

" When you stormed the heights of Fredericksburg, leav- 
ing your dead piled up to mark the post of honor that you 
held, your deeds were known and voiced by Meade himself, 



who cried, ' Well done, 121st; good enough for one day I' 
Of the conduct of Major Biddle on that memorable occasion 
we have the official evidence of his colonel, who in his report 
says : ' I may mention that the order of the regiment was in 
a great measure due to the coolness and efficiency of Lieut. - 
Col. Davis and Major Biddle.' " 

On the first day at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, the 121st 
Regiment, under command of Major Biddle, constituted a 
part of the left wing of the Army of the Potomac, under 
Gen. Reynolds. A part of that wing, consisting of the 
First and Eleventh Corps, bore the brunt of the rebel attack 
on that day of disaster, before the army had been concen- 
trated. The 121st Regiment, being on the extreme left of 
the Union line, was outflanked and the position was turned, 
and it was finally forced to retreat, " The constant changes 
of position which the regiment was ordered to make." says 
Major Biddle in his official report, " and the seeming uncer- 
tainty of which way we were to expect an attack, or what 
position we were to defend, was exceedingly trying to the dis- 
cipline of the regiment," but, as he adds, " its conduct was, 
in my opinion, far beyond praise." In an interesting nar- 
rative of the experiences of the regiment, Col. Biddle says, 
in reference to the results of its experiences on that day : 
" The inequality of the combat was soon manifest. Over- 
whelmed with the fire from flank and front, this small force, 
of less than three full companies, retained the position until 
the battery had safely retired, and nothing but a barren field 
was left to their opponents." He mentions that at the end 
of the day, " out of 256 who marched to Gettysburg that 
morning," but eighty-two men remained with the colors, fit 
for duty ; Capt. William Dorr being the only line officer 
unhurt. The regiment fell back to Cemetery Hill, and as a 
result of the day's work, he expresses the opinion that " the 
strategical position, whatever the quality of his troops, can 
hardly be considered in favor of Lee." 

That night the regiment slept on its arms on the south 
slope of Cemetery Hill, where the enemy's shells from both 



front and rear met in the attacks of the second day. On the 
morning of the 3d, it took up position in rear of the centre, 
in front of Doubleday's headquarters. In the front, from 
Cemetery Hill to Eound Top, the Union line was thin and 
weak, and upon this, after a morning's manoeuvres, one hun- 
dred pieces of artillery opened fire ; the notice and prelude 
as Major Biddle says, " of the grand attack of the third 
day ; but this notice lost to Gen. Lee all the advantages he 
possessed in selecting a point of attack and massing his 
troops against it," and it was therefore, as Major Biddle con- 
sidered, a tactical mistake. The Union lines, through the 
energetic efforts of Gen. Newton, were greatly strengthened, 
and the attack of the enemy failed, and Gettysburg ended. 
The actual loss of the 121st Regiment was 12 killed outright, 
106 wounded, 61 missing. " At no time," says Col. Biddle, 
"was there any panic or other characteristic than that of 
steadiness, alacrity and wilHngness in behavior," and he 
adds: " The seven periods in the battle of Inkerraan, de- 
scribed by Kinglake, exhibit a resistance of British troops 
to as many assaults, but not with such loss. No field of 
battle exhibits qualities which do more honor to the patient 
endurance, spirit and discipline of the soldier; but yet, 
as in all other fields," he adds, " so in Gettysburg, it is to be 
always remembered of those who have acted best their part, 
that they rest upon the battlefield." 

To Major Biddle's " distinguished bravery " on this trying 
field, Gen. Rowley, chief of the division, in his official 
report, bears testimony, and Col. Chapman Biddle, in com- 
mand of the brigade, says : " It gives me pleasure to make 
mention of the excellent conduct of Major Biddle, command- 
ing 121st Pennsylvania Volunteers." 

On July 20, 1863, Major Biddle was promoted lieutenant- 
colonel of the regiment, and, Chapman Biddle having retired, 
completely broken in health, he was, December 11, 1803, 
further advanced to the rank of colonel. The regiment was 
now reduced to a mere captain's command, but 100 men 
being present with the colors, fit for duty, while no arrange- 



8 

ments were contemplated by the Government for recruiting 
its ranks. This want of an adequate command, added to 
urgent family considerations, caused him to send in his 
resignation, and he was, on January 9, 186J:, honorably 
discharged, after an arduous and creditable career, in which 
he had displayed conspicuous bravery, and, under most trying 
circumstances, proved his skill and fitness for command ; 
thus upholding the high character of the family, and add- 
ing to its already unique military and naval record. The 
First Army Corps, depleted in its ranks, was soon after, amid 
much heartburning and wounded pride, merged into the Fifth 
Corps, thus, as an organization, passing from the field of 
action but a few months after its commander, John F. -Rey- 
nolds, had given his life for his country. 

When, in 1864, Col. Biddle had returned from the war, 
and had retired from the banking firm of Thomas Biddle k 
Co., he devoted himself, not merely to his own private affairs, 
but became, to the close of his blameless and useful life, a 
citizen of intense public spirit, filling with great conscien- 
tiousness the many positions of trust to which he had been 
called. 

From 1858 to 1870 he was a director of the Library Co. of 
Philadelphia ; from 1861 to 1899 a director in the Pennsyl- 
vania Company for Insurance on Lives, etc.; from 1864 to 
1899 a director of The Philadelphia Contributionship, the 
oldest insurance company in Philadelphia, and for twelve 
years chairman of the Board ; from 1868 to 1899 a manager 
of the Penus3dvania Hospital ; from 1869 to 1884, when he 
resigned on account of ill health, a member of the Board of 
City Trusts, and again from 1888 to 1899, having from 
1881 to 1884 beeu the President of the Board; from 1884 
to 1899 a director of the American Insurance Co. 

In addition to the above, he was for years a director of the 
Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co., of the Philadelphia Saving 
Fund Society and of the Pennsylvania Eailroad Company. 

The welfare of the Pennsylvania Hospital and Girard Col- 
lege absorbed much of his thought, interest and time, and 



9 

he was ever on the alert to see what new measures could be 
devised to make these great institutions more efficient in 
their good work. The Hospital he served " with rare fidelity 
and judgment." For more than twenty-five years he com- 
piled the Annual Eeport, and his purse was ever open to 
respond to the needs of this great charity. To a friend he 
once stated that of all the Boards of which he was a mem- 
ber, the one to which he gave the greatest attention was the 
Board of City Trusts, on account of Girard College and 
the education, moral, physical and intellectual, of the boys, 
and he was continually seeking suggestions to that end, in 
order that those boys might be turned out good citizens, 
fully equipped for the battle of life. One of his reasons for 
giving the boys a military organization was, " Pennsylvania 
will then have a good supply of orderly sergeants." IIow 
characteristic, how far-seeing and thoughtful, the orderly 
sergeant being the soul of the company ; or, according to 
the Prussian view, " the mother of the company:" 

Col. Biddle was preeminently amiable, modest and well 
balanced, and of deep religious convictions. He was a keen 
sportsman, a thoroughly trained athlete, and an intelligent 
and discriminating student of military history, and from 1840 
to 1856 an active member of the City Troop, and had thus 
fitted himself for command when he found himself face to 
face with war. He was so bold and graceful a horseman as 
to elicit the admiration of the soldiers on the field ; and 
even at the age of 75 he could clear a four- rail fence, keeping 
])erfectlv his seat in the saddle. His modesty was such that 
he contended that he had never fought a battle, but that the 
battles were fought by the men. 

On February 17, 1888, he was elected a member of this 
Society, a membership which was most appropriate and in 
the possession of which he felt much honored, his kinsman, 
Owen Biddle (1788-1799), already mentioned, having been 
one of its most eminent members. 

In 1855 he married Julia Wilmer, daughter of Samuel 
Rush. Her death occurred but a few months before his own. 



10 

and from the effects of it, although in silence he bore his 
sorrow, he never wholly recovered. Four sons and one 
daughter survive them. 

The eloquent words which were used to characterize a 
brilliant colonel of the Revolution may, with entire appro- 
priateness, be applied to Alexander Biddle : 

'* Modest without timidity, generous without extravagance, 
brave without rashnes^ and disinterested without austerity, 
which imparted firmness to his conduct, mildness to his man- 
ners, and solidity to his judgment, which armed him with an 
equanimity unalterable by the frowns of adversity or the 
smiles of fortune, and steadiness of soul not to be subdued by 
the disasters of defeat or elated by the triumphs of victory." 




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